Catching the Metro: Twin Cities’ LRT/BRT system has a name

After two years of gathering public input, the Metropolitan Council has chosen a new name for its light-rail and bus-rapid transit system. The winner: Metro.

While hardly a bold departure, the agency believes a separate name will communicate the developing system as a distinctive from its familiar bus offerings.

“The Metro system name identifies the developing LRT/BRT services as unique,” Arlene McCarthy, director of the Metro Council’s Metropolitan Transportation Services, said in a news release.

Last July, the Metro Council opted to use color names for various transit lines, including: Blue Line for the Hiawatha; Green Line for the Central/Southwest; Red Line for the Cedar Avenue BRT and Orange Line for the I-35W BRT. Only the Blue Line is currently in operation. Next up is the Red Line, which is currently under construction and expected to open in November.

In addition to a new name, the transit system will see various branding elements, including Circle-T logo and designs for vehicle graphics and station signs that highlight the regional transit colors.